in conclusion

a few months ago, i embarked on another attempt at getting that gay holy grail - a set of visible abs. i went for nutrition counseling with fitness first. after trying out all the diet programs (fit for life, south beach), i felt this was the last frontier.

that was in oct 2010. how time flies! i have completed 32 weeks (yes 32 weeks, roughly 8 months!) of the program, religiously writing out my food intake each and every single day for 224 days! and i must say that it was about 90% accurate.

and i was also measured up every week. and my mood swings would go with the way my weight and my body fat fluctuated! lol

yesterday was the last measurement. but actually, i would put the peak of my program at the time when i went to boracay. (which was the real end-goal in the first place!)

i started at a bodyfat % of 22.8. i hovered around the 20% level for the longest time, particularly after the holidays. i was at 144 lbs.

after the program, i ended with a 16.8% bodyfat and a weight of 136.8 lbs. i actually went down to 134 lbs pre-boracay. but proudly, this was my lowest bodyfat ever.

i have achieved what i've set out to do. after much effort. and it was a combination of a lot of factors. for one, i was an obedient student. i am a good follower. and even if i had my doubts, i complied with everything. the journal entries were hard to complete but i still did it anyway. incorporating the program with an intensified cardio (running) and weights program was crucial, too. sustaining it was a chore, helped by the "mini victories": the regular measurements, the numerics. this was the most effective way of keeping the mind focused on the goal.

there were sacrifices made along the way. lots of it. for a sweet tooth controlling carb intake, i made enough plenary indulgences to pave the way to heaven. and even alcohol intake. i had to curb that because of the indirect way it added more calories into my system.

i still recall a few years back, writing in my "The Secret Gratitude Journal" a wish to have abs, but written out as a fulfilled wish. "i am so thankful for finally achieving the body and the abs i have always wanted" or something like that. though i have to say that i only have a few visible abs. as you could see in the pic, the excess skin still hangs around the middle part and obliques. i need surgical intervention for that.

the best part, of course, is that this also translates to a healthier me. my blood work-up in february showed that all the indicators (cholesterol, uric acid, glucose, etc) were at normal levels! not bad for a 45yo.

now, it's maintenance as a goal. though my personal trainer challenges me to go for an even lower goal of 15% bodyfat. but i think im good with this. i can bulk up a bit, too. im still deciding.

im just happy that for once, i was able to look at the mirror and see a body i actually find attactive. and if i could do it...



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